Pressed-metal wheel.



A. THOMPSON.

PRESSBD METAL WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED MAYll, 1909.

9%,023, Patented D80.27,1910.

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UTED Auras Parana: OFFICE.

ALFRED THOMPSON, 0F ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOB. TO THE ERIE WHEEL COM- PANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A. CORIQBATION OF OHIO.

PRESSED-METAL WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 27, 1910.

Application filed May 11, 1909. Serial No. 495,272.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED THOMPSON, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Erie, in thef county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania} have invented a certain new and useful Im rovement in Pressed-Metal Wheels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to pressed metal wheels, and has for its object to produce a wheel composed mainly of a single blank of sheet metal, which wheel shall be strong and durable and yet simple-of construction and economical of production. I

Generally speaking, the invention may be defined as consistin of the combinations of elements embodied in the claims hereto annexed and illustrated in the drawings forming part hereof, wherein figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a central transverse section through the hub and rim of the wheel, said view also showin in elevation one end of the axle for thew eel; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the hub and spokes are formed, said blank bein off-set at its center and having its ends s itted so as to form the spokes; Fi 4 is a side elevation of the blank shown in Fig. 3; Fi 5 is a side elevation of the blank shown m Fig. 3 rolled into a tube with collars at the ends of the hub; Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the end of one of the spokes secured into a metal rim and illustrating the manner in which the spokes are secured to such rim when no tire is used; and Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the'axle with a nut for holding the wheel 1n place.

Taking up a description of the invention by the use of reference characters, 1 represents the hub portion of the wheel and 2 and 3 the spokes. These parts are formed out of the single blank that is shown in Fig. 3,

in which blank, 1 is a plane portion at the nter of the blank that is adapted to be ll gl into a tube so as to form the barrel ortion of the hub. Extending from the lan o tion 1 at one end thereof is a series of tongues 2, whlch constitute the spokes 2, the same being formed by simply slitting the blank from its end substantially to the portion 1. In so slitting the blank, no" part of the metal is removed except at the extreme ends of the tongues where the center of each tongue is reduced in size by theremoval of a slight portion of the metal on each side thereof, as shown at 4, said reduced portions forming short tenons which are adapted to be projected through the rim of the wheel and to be riveted thereto. On the opposite side of the plane portion 1' are tongues 3" from which the spokes 3 are formed, said tongues also having the reduced portions or tenons 4: by which the spokes are secured to the rim of the wheel. It is desirable when rolling the blank into the forms shown in Fig. 5 to have the plane portion. 1' form a tube of larger diameter than the tube that is formed by the'tongues 2, 3, and for this reason the said plane portion is oiiset or depressed from the plane of the said tongues, as shown in Fig. 4. When, therefore, the blank is rolled into the tube shown in Fig. 5, the hub part 1 is of larger diameter than the tubular structure formed by the parts 2*, 3, so that a slight shoulder or abutment is formed at the end ofthe hub portion against which collars 5 are adapted to rest, said collars being inserted over the tongues 2, 3. After these collars are in position, the tongues 2 and 3 are bent outwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2 so as to become the spokes of the wheel. As the tongues 2 and 3 are directly opposite each other, it will be necessary, in making a wheel with a comparatively small number of spokes, to bend the tongues toward the tangents to the hub ends a short distance, to cause the spokes 2 to be staggered with respect to s okes 3. One set of tongues will preferably lie bent in one direction and the other set in the op osite direction, whereby. this staggering o 'the spokes will be secured with a comparatively slight bend of the inner ends of the spokes with respect to the hub. The outer ends of the spokes are inserted through spoke apertures in the rim 6 or 6, as shown in Fi s. 2 and 6. As ap cars from Figs. 3 and 4;, t he tongues 2 an 3, out of which the spokes are formed, are of recisely the same length, from which it fo lows that when the spokes are bent into the proper position, as shown in Fig. 2, the wheel will .run perfectly true and will need no subsequent adjustment, as is always necessary in cases where the spokes of the wheel are of built-up construction.

In the form shown in Fig. 2, the rim- 6 is bent into a crescent shape, in order to receive a rubber tire 7, the tenon portions 4 on the ends of the spokes being inserted through spoke apertures in the rim and riveted in the bottom of the latter. In the form shown in Fig. 6, the said tenon portions 4: extend through the metal rim 6 and are riveted against the outer side of the rim. Through the hub portions 1, I insert a closely fitting tubular bearing 8, the same being preferably formed of sheet metal and having a circumferential bead 9 near the 1nner end of the hub, the bearing being forced into the hub until the said bead abuts against the stop formed at the bends of the spokes 2. Over the extreme end of the tubular bearing,I place a ring or washer 10, which is forced up against the bead'9 and held in' place by upsetting or riveting the end of the tubular bearing against the ring. To prevent the wheel from working off the bearing, the latter may be slightly upset or riveted at 11.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2, the axle 12-, having the spindle 13, is provided with a spring retaining catch 14 which engages over the ring 10 and thus prevents the wheel from coming off the spindle.

As shown in Fig. 7, the spindle 13 may be modified, as shown at 13*, by extending the same beyond the hub and threading the extended portion for the reception of a nut 15, said nut engaging with the outer end of the hub and holding the wheel in position.

When a nutless construction is used, as in Fig. 2, the end of the hub is preferably hidden by a cap-plate 16, which may be secured in placed by tongues which are bent over to embrace the adjacent ring 5.

By the construction described, I haveproduced a particularly strong, durable, but comparatively inexpensive wheel. The collars 5 cooperate with the inner ends of the tongues 52 and 3 to form abutments for the same. These collars have their outer surfaces beyeled to conform generally to the inclination which must be given to the spokes to enable them to reach the central portion of the rim 6.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim 1s:

1. In a pressed metal wheel the combination, with a tubular hub havin a reduced end, of spokes integral with said hub and projecting from such reduced end, a collar on such reduced end and forming a bearing for the inner portions of the s okes, and a rim secured to the outer ends 0 said spokes.

2. In a pressed metal wheel, the combination, with a tubular hub havingeach end thereof reduced in diameter, of spokes pro- 3. In a pressed metal wheel, the conibina- I tion of a tubular hub having its opposite ends reduced in diameter, integral spokes projecting from such reduced ends, a collar applied to each reduced end of the hub and engaging the inner ends of the spokes, and

a rim to which the outer ends of the spokes are. secured, the outer faces of said collars tapering inwardly or toward the center of the hub to form bearings for the inner portions of the spokes.

4. Ina pressed metal wheel, the combination of a tubular hub having integral spokes projecting from w an end thereof and provided, near such end and between the spokes and the center of the hub, with an abutment, and a collar appliedto the end of the hub between the spokes and the abutment and arranged to be engaged by the inner ends of the spokes.

5. In a pressed metal wheel, the combination of a tubular hub portion, a collar at each end of said hub portion said collar having an internal diameter that is less than the diameter of the hub portion, a

series of spokes at each end of the hub portion, said spokes .bein integral with the hub portion and extendlng through the said collars, a rim to which the outer ends of the spokes are secured, and a tubular bearing within the hub portion, said bearing being fitted to-an axl 6. In a pressed metal wheel, the combination of a hub portion having reduced ends, a tubular bearing extending through said hub portion and fitting said reduced ends, means ateach end of said hub portion for holding the same in shape, integral spokes projecting from said hub ortions, and a rim to which the outer en s of the spokes are secured.

7. In a pressed metal wheel, the combina- -t1on, with a central hub portion having reduced ends, of a collar at each reduced end of said hub portion and fitting the same 'closely, spokes integral with said hub' ortion and having their inner ends exten ing through saidcollar and being bent outwardly, a rim to which the outer ends of the duced ends thereof, said bearing being i vided with a projection adapted to eno'age the spokes at the points where they fiendv about one of said collars.

8. In a pressed metal wheel, the combinat1on,w1th a tubular hub having a reduced end, of spokes mtegral'with said hub and prospokes are attached, and a tubular bearing within the hub portion and fitting the rm" jecting from such reduced end, a collar on such reduced end, and a rim secured to the outer ends of said spokes.

9. In. a pressed metal wheel, the combination of a tubular hub, integral spokes bent outwardly from opposite ends of said hub, a tubular bearing within the hub, said bearing having an outwardly projecting bead engaging with one of its sides the adjacent inner ends of the spokes at the points Where they are bent with respect to the hub, and a ring secured to said bearing on the opposite side of the head from the spokes.

10. A wheel comprising a tubular hub portion having reduced ends, spokes projecting from each reduced end of the hub, a collar applied to each reduced end of the hub and engaging the inner ends of the spokes, a rim secured to the outer ends of said spokes, and a tubular bearing within the hub and engaging the reduced ends thereof, said bearing having outwardly projecting portions adapted to engage the spokes at the points where they are bentabout said collars, and said bearing having means cooperating with one of said outwardly projecting portions whereby it may be attached-to an axle.

11. A wheel comprising a tubular hub portion having a reduced end, spokes projecting outwardly from such reduced end, a collar applied to the reduced end of the hub and engaging the inner ends of the spokes, a rim secured to the outer ends of said spokes, and a hearing within the hub and provided with an outwardly flared end adapted to engage the spokes on the outer side of said collar.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED THOMPSON.

\Vitnesses Gnome M. l ua'roincu, JOHN A. CARTER. 

